Rebel Just For Kicks: Kol Mikaelson [1]

24: Brave New World

When MJ woke up the next morning, she was curled up on the chair while Tyler was knocked out on the sofa, head buried in a pillow. Sleep had helped with the voices. She could still feel magic like a bloodhound on a hunt, but she couldn't hear anything. When she was vulnerable, the magic took over, but she wanted to try one day packed full of dynamite, to see if she could handle it when she wasn't on edge. She showered, got dressed, then returned to the office, checking that Tyler was still asleep, before walking to the desk and hovering her hands over it. She had to be subtle, everyone had seen the destruction, so it couldn't just be fixed when they woke up. Still, she figured the ripped documents might be important enough to risk saving.

She hummed lightly while stretching her fingers, turning the broken glass to dust and straightening up the chairs and tables.

"That's a neat trick," Mason was watching from the door.

She motioned for him to step aside, heading to the kitchen, "Should I set a water bowl for you at the table?"

"Ha, ha."

"Seriously though, breakfast?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You're awful pleasant in the mornings."

"I'm a busy person, I like doing things," She opened the fridge, "And they both deserve some time off, so, I'll make breakfast before I leave."

"Where you gotta be?"

"School Carnival."

Caroline was supposed to be running it, and though Elliot had taken over in her absence, MJ needed to be there to help.

"Friend's in hospital, and we're doing it for her."

She started to crack eggs and counted the number of bacon strips relative to the number of people they needed to feed. Carol would want toast and avocado, with eggs and cut up tomatoes. Tyler would want plain scrambled eggs and bacon, and he'd eat a lot of it. Then there was Mason.

"Move," He nudged her lightly as she started cutting the tomatoes up, "Go to your carnival. I'll do it."

"No, no," MJ tried for a smile, "I like cooking for people."

"Yeah, but you don't actually live here," He reminded her, "Go take a break, I got it."

She frowned, finishing the tomato and putting the pieces into the whisked egg.

"Go!" He was in a much cheerier mode than he had been the previous night.

She didn't want to just up and go.

"But I..." She wasn't used to not having a purpose.

"I need quality time with my nephew anyway."

"Got a few years of catch-up?"

"Oh, harsh."

"Just," She stepped back, "Fine..."

It pained her to step away.

"Carol likes a lot of milk in her coffee, and she'll also want orange juice – the one with bits because she thinks it's healthier," She rambled as quickly as she could, "And the smoothie in the fridge is for Tyler, he'll think it's a good idea to mix protein powder into it, he's wrong  – "

"God, you come prepared."

She looked at her shoes, "I remember things about people."

"K," He tried to repress a smile, "Smoothie for Tyler and gross juice for the lady of the house."

MJ snorted, "Tell Tyler, I'll see him later."

"Will do."

MJ left, looking over her phone. She had three voice mails from Elena that she really should've listened too sooner.